1 Kings 18 Elijah and the Prophets of Baal

 1 Kings 18

Elijah and the Prophets of Baal

22- Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone am left a prophet of the Lord, and the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men.

23- Now let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. And I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.

24- Then you shall call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and it shall be that the god who answers by fire, that is God." And all the people answered and said, "The saying is good."

25- And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for there are many of you; and call on the name of your god, and put no fire under it.

26 And they took the calf which he had given them, and prepared it; and they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us! But there was no voice, and none to answer: and they leaped upon the altar that was made.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god: perhaps he speaketh, or hath some thing to do, or is intending some journey; perhaps he sleepeth, and awaketh.

28 And they cried out with a loud voice, and cut themselves with knives and lancets, as was their custom, until the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And it came to pass, when noon was past, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the meat offering: but there was no voice, nor answer, nor any respect.

30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which was broken down.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name.

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench round about the altar, as wide as two measures of seed.

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood.

34 And he said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood. And he said, Do it a second time: and they did it a second time. And he said, Do it a third time: and they did it a third time:

35 So the water ran round about the altar: and he filled the trench also with water.

36- Now it came to pass, when the grain offering was being offered, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.

37- Answer me, Lord, answer me, that these people may know that you, Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”

38- Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39- And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God! The Lord, he is God!”

40- And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them escape.” And they seized them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of a great rain.

42 And Ahab went up to eat and drink: but Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and bowed himself to the ground, and put his face between his knees.

43 And he said to his servant, Go up now, and look toward the sea. And he went up and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go back seven times.

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, a little cloud, like a man's hand, rising out of the sea. And he said, Go up, and say to Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and go down, lest the rain come upon thee.

45- And it came to pass in the meantime, that the heavens were black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain: and Ahab rode up in his chariot, and went to Jezreel.

46- And the hand of the LORD was upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab unto the entrance of Jezreel.